So for 17 years your dh has done this and you can't be arsed now its your turn. Were you so concerned when your dh had to do it? You sound selfish and the dc s only eating this and that soun.ds ridiculous. No wonder children grow up thinking they rule the roost

We tend to eat a variation on a theme if it's something not everybody is keen on. For example DH and ds1 like salmon so they have that with boiled potatoes, but Ds2 and I don't like boiled potatoes so will have breaded fish with rice.

I am happy to cook variations as I don't wan to eat something others like just because that's the only choice.

I only make one thing, (unless it's something that I know the DCs really won't eat like a v hot curry) they either eat it or don't but that's the choice. I've noticed that they eat very little when it's something they're not keen on and fill up on the days it's boring pasta. They're not starving and viewed over the week their diet is pretty balanced.YANBU

So, DS doesn't like ratatouille, but does like the roasted courgettes, onions, aubergines and peppers. So, I take some out and dress them, before adding sunblush tomatoes and passata and herbs.

If it is a meal only 3 of the 5 like, I will cook it less often than a meal that 4 or all of us like.

In your case, I would cook vegetarian food, but add meat for the meat eaters. You could, for example, make a meaty spag bol, along side a lentilly one. Or a chili sin carne next to a chili con carne. Or ratatouille with jacket potato, with a lamb chop for the meat eaters. Or a chicken Caesar salad, with avocado for the veges, but also with chicken for the meat eaters. (I know a traditional Caesar dressing is not vegetarian, but you can make a yummy vege one.)

When they were toddlers they used to have supper before bed (milk or a bf and a cracker or something) so if they had completely refused dinner then I'd slip a banana or a slice of toast in there too to make sure they were not hungry. The big ones are 6 and 4 now so they eat it or go hungry. Their choice. However, all I ever ask is that they try a couple of mouthfuls. If they have had a stab at trying it then they can still have pudding. Also, I work around the problem in some way. My kids eat most things (I have no idea if this is dumb luck or because I have never pandered to their whims) but for example ds1 hates potatoes so we do toad in the hole with mash on the side instead of just straight bangers and mash. He still has to eat a mouthful of potato but he has his yorkshire pudding so he won't go hungry.

Two statements that make me so feckin cross. God I used to quite like cooking. Where do people stand on pudding? My dps mum always used to do pudding. So he always wants sometging else ans so do kids. Pudding equals more feckin clearing up. BTW yanbu